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Sterile Medical Packaging

Package testing for the DuPont Tyvek Medical Packaging Transition Project (MPTP) is progressing on schedule, and all results published to date support the functional equivalence of the transitional material to the current Tyvek. While testing continues, DuPont expects that the U.S. FDA will affirm functional equivalence by the third quarter 2015.

PAC Machinery launched a high-speed medical device bagging system at Pharma Expo. Suitable for use in cleanrooms, the Rollbag Magnum HS Med can produce bags with chevron or straight seals from rollstock consisting of a polymer web and either Tyvek or paper as well as foil and metallized polyester.

More than 70,000 packages from 40 medical device manufacturers have been tested under the DuPont Medical Packaging Transition Project (MPTP), and results continue to indicate functional equivalence, reported members of the DuPont team during a Webcast on October 2.

When it comes to medical devices, packaging is sometimes an afterthought. While there are outstanding packages that win high-profile awards, some companies fail to recognize the importance of this factor until late in the game. In worst-case scenarios, this can impact the quality and safety of the device. More often, however, the result is financial, because companies neglect to take steps to reduce packaging costs.

Medical packaging converter Technipaq celebrated its 30th anniversary this summer. PMP News spoke to the company’s founder, Philip Rosenburg, and its Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Brian Rosenburg, about how the industry has changed since the company was founded.

Maintaining hand hygiene is one of the most important steps healthcare practitioners can take toward reducing healthcare associated infections (HAIs). Hand washing and other universal precautions are widely encouraged, but did you know that packaging and labeling could play roles in infection prevention, too?

Applying the predictive reliability method to medical packaging can help companies estimate a failure rate and prevent recalls

The reliability of a medical package production process depends upon maintaining a high performance level over a long time period. Predictive reliability methodology can be used to prevent defects by increasing a given production process’s time to failure and hence increasing its overall reliability. The knowledge sharing between the quality departments of those companies involved in producing medical packages can be very important to ensure the robustness of the production process and its long-term reliability.

The Sterilization Packaging Manufacturers Council (SPMC) of the Flexible Packaging Association recently honored Marie Tkacik for serving as chairperson of its Technical Committee for the last 20 years. Tkacik was elected as its first committee chairperson on July 8, 1994, just after the formation of the SPMC earlier that year. She has been re-elected each year since.

Tkacik is now stepping down as committee chairperson, passing the reins to the recently elected Henk Blom, director of technical service for Rollprint Packaging Products.